Efforts to feed Bridgeport’s homeless to continue, with changes

One of the biggest sites in Bridgeport for feeding the homeless will remain open thanks to safety changes made by local volunteers.

Local charities and churches have been feeding the homeless for more than three decades every Sunday morning on John Street. The operation also provides clothing and other essential supplies to those in need.

Some of the organizations that run the effort say the Health Department in Bridgeport had threatened to shut down the operation due to concerns over protocols and sanitation.

"They want us to wear gloves, a hair net, an apron, in order for us to come out here and serve," said April Barron of the non-profit Helping Hands Outreach. "So right now things are coming together."

Health department officials say their only concern is making sure that everybody involved in the tradition is safe while being served.

Mayor Joe Ganim said he working with both the Health Department and local volunteers to try and guarantee the service continues.

"We need to make sure in every way we can that we provide for our most vulnerable," Ganim said.

People in the area say the initiative is one of the most essential resources in Bridgeport for people in need.